President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Friday (22) that he is "not the owner of Brazil" when questioned by influencer Nath Finanças about why he didn't veto online betting in the country. During his appearance on TV Brasil's "Sem Censura" program, Lula justified signing Law 14.790/2023 — which regulated betting — citing limitations of presidential power and lack of majority in Congress. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"O presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) foi questionado pela influenciadora Nath Finanças sobre o avanço das bets no Brasil durante entrevista ao programa "Sem Censura", da TV Brasil, nesta sexta-feira (22). Ao ser cobrado sobre por que o governo ainda não acabou com as apostas online, o petista respondeu: "Não depende de mim, meu anjo, eu não sou dono do Brasil"."
"It doesn't depend on me, my angel. I'm not the owner of Brazil. I'm president of the Republic. I'm part of a tripod of institutions that govern the country," Lula said, according to reports of the interview. The president argued that he has only 70 deputies out of 513 and nine senators out of 81, which would make it difficult to sustain a potential veto on online betting if Congress decided to overturn it. ✓
Press quotes (2)
""Não depende de mim. Da mesma forma que falo que o Trump não é dono do mundo, eu não sou dono do Brasil. Sou presidente da República. Faço parte de um tripé de instituições que governam o país, tenho o Congresso Nacional e o Poder Judiciário""
""Tenho 70 deputados de 513, 9 senadores de 81. A capacidade de dialogar e conversar é imensa. Eles derrubam o veto.""
The current regulation of fixed-odds betting in Brazil is based on two main laws: Law 13.756/2018, which legalized online sports betting during the Michel Temer government, and Law 14.790/2023, signed by Lula, which expanded regulation to online games. Regulatory authority was assigned to the Secretary of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance, created in 2024 specifically to authorize, monitor and supervise companies in the sector. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"Desde 2018, as apostas de quota fixa de eventos esportivos são legalizadas por meio da Lei 13.756/2018. [...] Em 2023, a Presidência da República enviou uma Medida Provisória ao Congresso Nacional para aprimorar a Lei de 2018. [...] Foi sancionada então a Lei 14.790/2023."
"A partir da lei de 2023, o Ministério da Fazenda recebeu a competência de regular o setor de apostas de quota fixa e criou, em 2024, a Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA-MF)."
Lula classified betting as "a disease, an addiction" and said that if it depended exclusively on him, he would "end all those bets that are not providing any service and utility to this country." The president reported that the government has already "banned almost 90% of everything that was illegal betting" in the country, maintaining only companies that operate within the regulatory framework established by the Ministry of Finance. ✓
Press quotes (3)
""Jogar é uma doença, é um vício""
""Se depender da vontade do presidente da República, e vou dizer isso durante a campanha, eu sou favorável a acabar com todas aquelas betes que não estão prestando nenhum serviço e utilidade a este país""
""Primeiro: nós proibimos quase que 90% de tudo que era bet legal nesse país. Eu, por mim, proibiria todas""
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
-
What is the specific constitutional foundation that justifies the presidential claim of regulatory power limitations over online betting?
Why it's still unknown: Although the Federal Constitution establishes presidential competencies in articles 84, IV (regulatory decrees) and 84, XXVI (provisional measures), no source analyzed whether these competencies would be sufficient for a unilateral prohibition of betting without legislative approval.
-
How many betting companies were effectively banned in the alleged elimination of '90% of illegal bets'?
Why it's still unknown: The president cited the percentage, but no source provided specific data on the number of companies banned or the criteria used by SPA-MF to determine legality.
-
What would be the applicable constitutional test if the president chose to fully veto Law 14.790/2023?
Why it's still unknown: The presidential claim that 'they overturn the veto' presupposes political viability analysis, but it was not examined whether there would be constitutional grounds for a full veto due to unconstitutionality or contrariety to public interest.